Automatic mechanism for barb-wire reels.



11. M. OOSEY. AUTOMATIC MECHANISM FOR BARB WIRE REELS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31, 1909.

Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT UFFICE.

HENRY 111. COSEY, F LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR TO '1. O. TAYLOR, 0F LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

AUTOMATIC ME CHAN ISM FOR B ARE-WIRE REE LS Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 31, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY M. Cosnr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Mechanism for Barbire Reel-s, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to automatic mechanism for barb wire reels, the purpose thereof being to aid in taking up strandsof barb wire which have been removed from a fence, and forming the same into compact bundles, also to assist in delivering the strand of wire from the reel, in convenient proximity to a line of posts to which they are to be attached.

The present device embodies certain improvements over a similar invention upon which Letters Patent of the United States were issued to me December 20th,1904,l\ umber 777,8-13, chief among such improvements being a construction and operation of parts which make it possible to reel and unreel from one to three strands of wire at the same time.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective, showing the rear end of a wagon equipped with my device. Fig. 2 is an end View of the wagon box, showing the manner of attaching my invention thereto. Fig. 3 is a detailed view of the power transmitting mechanism. Fig. t is a detail, showing one of the plates 19, and tension mechanism therefor. Fig. 5 is a detail, showing the hinged bearing at the end of one of the arms 8. Fig. (3 shows one of the clips 5, in detail.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the several figures.

1 represents the box of an ordinary farm wagon, having rear carrying wheels 2 and 8. A pair of arms at is vertically supported on the sides of the box, by means of clips 5, se cured to the upper ends of said arms by means of bolts passing through such arms and slots 6 in the clips. Said clips project inwardly over the edge of the wagon-box, and hold the upper ends of the arms in place. Near their lower ends the arms 4 are further secured by means of a rod 7 passing beneath the bed of the box 1.

Projected rearwardly from the arms 4 is a pair of extensions 8, in the rear ends of which is journaled a shaft 9, secured from longitudinal movement by washers 10 on the Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

Serial No. 487,043.

inner faces of said extensions, held in place by cotter pins fixed in the shaft 9. Said shaft is adapted to be actuated by the following means. Detachably secured to the inner face of the wheel 3 is a sprocket-gear rim 11, provided with a sprocket chain 12, which actua-tes a sprocket-pinion 13, on a. stud-shaft 1 1, fixed to the arm & nearest to the wheel. 3, and projecting outwardly from said arm. Connected with the pinion 13, so as to rotate therewith, is a sprocket-wheel 15, actuating a sprocket-pinion l6, fixed on the shaft 9, by means of a sprocket-chain 17. By means of the mechanism just above described the movement of the wheel 3, in the forward progress of the wagon, is communicated to the shaft 9, imparting a number of rotations to such shaft during each revolution of the wheel.

18 represents the usual spools or reels upon which barb wire is wrapped, such reels being adapted to be mounted on the shaft 9 by usual openings therein. When supported on such shaft each of the reels 18 is held between a pair of friction plates 19 engaging the end-pieces of the reels. Each of, said plates, which are preferably circular in form, is provided with several pairs of cars 20, between which are held the outer ends of a plurality of radial arms 21, centrally supported 011 a sleeve 22, adapted to be fixed on the shaft 9. Each of the arms 21 is pro vided near its outer end with a lug 23, adapted to engage the inner edge of the friction plate, and hold the same in operative position. Each of the arms 21 is also provided at its outer end with a thumb-screw 21, adapted to impinge the outer face of the plate 19. By actuating said thumb-screws at either or both ends of the reel the plates 19 may be caused to frictionally engage such reel with any desired amount of pressure, which will cause such reel to normally rotate with the shaft 9.

25 is a guidefra1ne, secured at its upper end to the reach 26 of the wagon, and furnishing a guide for a strand of wire which is being wound on a reel supported on the shaft 9 centrally of the arms 8.

The provision of the arm-extensions 8 not only renders it convenient to place the reels in position for use, and remove the same when they are filled, but such construction also permits an extension of the shaft 9 in either or both directions behind the rear carhereinbefore described.

rying-wheels, and the location of a reel 18 on each of said extensions, in the manner It is obvious that when such additional reels are employed they can be easily removed by releasing the outer sleeves 22, and slipping the reel off the end of the shaft. To render the removal of the central reel more convenient, the arm 8 which is nearest to the wheel 3 may be provided at its end with a plate 27, having a semi-circular portion 28, and a similar plate 29, hinged to the plate 27 at its lower end, and secured thereto at its upper end by a bolt 30. To release the shaft the hinged plate 29 of the bearing is released and dropped outwardly, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 5, and, after disconnecting the chain 17, the shaft can be lifted out of the bearing, and slipped out of the stationary bearing at the opposite end. In case the shaft 9 is extended outwardly in each direction, both of the arms 8 may be provided with hinged bearings, as just described. After the shaft is removed from the bearings one of the washers 10 is removed, and the reel slipped off the end of the shaft. To replace the reel the foregoing operation is reversed.

hen a reel is supported at the side of the wagon, as shown in Fig. 1, a guide for the wire which is being wound thereon may be provided as follows: A guide-rod 81 is pivoted at the outer end of a support 32, removably secured to the step 33 of the wagon, on that side of the box on which the reel is supported. At its lower end the rod 81 is provided with an eye for the passage of the strand of wire, and at its upper end with a handle 85, by means of which the position of the eye may be varied laterally by an operator in the wagon so as to direct the wire from one side of the spool to the other, and cause a uniform winding thereof. The rod 31 may be provided with a plurality of perforations at its center, so that the pivotal point may be changed thereon, to adjust the rod vertically, if desired.

It is apparent that it is possible to attach all of the parts of my invention to any ordinary farm wagon, without in any way chang ing the construction of the vehicle, and the same can be as readily detached therefrom. By means of the slots 6 in the clips 5 the position of such clips can be adjusted vertically, with reference to the arms 4, so as to conform with possible variations in the heights of the wagon boxes.

In the operation of the machine, in taking up the wire, the tension of the rings 19 is adjusted so as to cause the winding of the wire on the reel with any desired degree of tightness, and in case the speed of the wagon exceeds that with which the wire is being wound, the reel is permitted to slip between the friction plates, such plates moving independently thereof, until the variation in speed is compensated.

IVhat I. claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a device of the class named, a pair of arms; a pair of clips on the ends of said arms adapted to engage the side-boards of a wagon-box, and. capable of adjustment longitudinally of said arms; a rod uniting said arms at a point below the wagon-box; rearwardly extending arms supported from said first-named arms; a shaft rotatably supported in the rear ends of said arms, and extending beyond the. same; a gear-rim adapted'to be removably secured to the inner face of one of the carrying wheels of the wagon; means for imparting the movement of said gear rim to said shaft, to rotate the same at a multiplied speed; and means for holding one or more barb-wire reels in position on said shaft.

2. In a device of the class named, supporting mechanism adapted to be removably secured to the rear end of a wagon-box, and project rearwardly therefrom; a rotary shaft supported thereby; means for rotating said shaft upon the forward movement of the vehicle; a reel supported on said shaft; friction plates engaging the ends of said reel, and provided on their outer faces with several pairs of cars; 'adial arms engaged by said pairs of ears, and secured to said shaft at their inner ends; lugs on said arms engaging said friction plates; and thumbscrews held in the outer ends of said arms,

and impinging the outer faces of said friction plates.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY M. COSEY. Witnesses FRANK A. PETERSON, FERN A. MORAN. 

